This invention relates to accessories for use with siding placed on a house, and more specifically to a window and door trim as well as sill covers which can be used in conjunction with the siding.
The use of siding for protecting the outside of a house is becoming more prevalent. Such siding is generally made of aluminum or more recently of vinyl material and is attached along the outside face of a house. In order to complete the exterior covering of the house, the various types of accessory moldings are needed. For example, various types of moldings are needed at the corners, edges, adjacent the roof, and at various other interconnecting locations.
Typically, when finishing off a window or door, the usual J channel is utilized. Such J channels are conventional in the art and have been utilized for almost all exterior siding. The J channel is first attached around the window frame with one leg of the channel being fastened directly to the frame. The J channel then forms a pocket for receiving the ends of the siding therein.
Although such J channels have been utilized in the past, they have presented some problems in connection with maintenance of the siding as well as providing suitable protection for the house. Since one leg of the J channel is located beneath the siding, as the rain slides along the outer face of the siding adjacent to a window or door, there is a tendency for the rain to flow along the J channel and thereby reach behind the siding. Such continued rain and moisture may deteriorate the wood of the frame and surrounding area. It may also be able to flow into the insulating material and cause the insulating material to become filled with water. The water may be retained in the insulating material and may cause additional moisture damage to the house itself.
In addition, the use of the J channel has provided continuous problems to installers, who must first place the J channel around the frames and subsequently interfit the siding within the J channel. Such procedures place constraints upon the installers and add increased difficulty as well as cost and time for installation.
Furthermore, many individuals find the window trim with a J channel most unaesthetic. Where the window frame is not smooth, the J channel may not provide a smooth connection to the frame and accordingly bumps, dislocations, and open spaces may occur around windows and door. Also, when using the J channel there is no protection to the actual window casing itself which requires separate finishing material or paint.